


Disgrace due to over-enthusiastic pursuit of victory

by burntcopper



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: AU, M/M, potc au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 11:15:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3527240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burntcopper/pseuds/burntcopper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>snippets of a Pirates Of The Caribbean au.<br/>In which Raven and Charles really didn't resist all that much after getting taken hostage by pirates for safe passage out of Port Royal, and Commander Lensherr chased the pirates a bit too far, lost his ships and lost his position as a result.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disgrace due to over-enthusiastic pursuit of victory

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this gifset](http://burntcopper.tumblr.com/post/112805353059/burntcopper-theletteraesc-sasheenka-pirate)

Charles can't sleep, so he goes out to check the stars and maybe keep whoever's on watch tonight awake.

Someone's already leaning on the rail when he gets up there, staring out to sea and the dark waves that catch tiny bits of light from the sliver of moon in the sky. It's Lensherr. The height and carriage of the shadowy figure are rather distinctive even in the low light of the single lantern further up the deck.

Lensherr glances around on hearing him approach and sighs noisily. "What did you want, Charles?"

"Oh, just seeing if you wanted company for your stargazing." Charles says, taking up position next to him. "I couldn't sleep, so thought I'd see if there was anyone else with insomnia."

"Some do actually prefer solitude, you know." Erik replies.

"You didn't used to." Charles says. Captain - later Commander - Lensherr was always quite happy to chat or take tea with him as long as it didn't interfere with his duties, and even then he didn't tend to be as brusque at those interruptions as he was with others. They had some very interesting debates over the years, and quite intense chess competitions back in calmer days in Port Royal.

"Yes, well, I've become accustomed to it." Erik says. "Amazingly, most pirates are quite loath to converse or keep company with a ex-pirate hunter."

Charles shrugs. "It's not as though a lot of them didn't get kicked out of the navy themselves."

"True." Erik pauses and taps the wood under his fingers. "Except unlike them, I didn't leave of my own accord or to escape some injustice. Disgrace due to over-enthusiastic pursuit of victory is not considered a commendable step by other pirates."

Charles nudges him with his elbow. "Give them time. I remember you were quite good company, if not a little reserved. I assume that was due to duty, though."

Erik turns to him. His facial muscles quirk in the faint moonlight, so Charles presumes he's done that 'really, Charles' expression that was somewhere between reproval and the equivalent of one of Raven's eyerolls. "You have no idea precisely how much I was repressing in the name of propriety and the Navy's strictures, Charles."

"Well, you're a pirate now, Erik. Live a little." Charles says, nudging him again in support.

"Live a little." Erik states sceptically.

"I insist. Do something you absolutely resisted doing because the Navy and society said you couldn't."

"You do realise that includes murder, don't you?" Erik says, sounding at least faintly amused. Charles grins in the darkness at getting a reaction from Erik that's not just foul temper and world weariness as it's been since he sobered up at least marginally after picking him up in Tortuga.

"Well." Charles pauses. "Maybe not murder. At least not without a good reason." He wishes the moon was bright enough for him to see Erik's expressions, rather than having to guess at them from the tone of his voice. Erik schooled his face so much in his previous life that even the smallest smile was an achievement. Now he's no longer so concerned with the expectations of his post, it would be nice to see what his real expressions look like. At least if it was light he might be able to figure out what Erik was thinking in the long pause that followed his statement.

Just when Charles is opening his mouth to fill the silence, Erik moves. Quite swiftly, in fact, pressing Charles against the rail, one hand finding his chin, tipping it up and kissing him. Very firmly, rather deeply and with so little warning that Charles is still off guard when Erik pulls back, brushing his thumb over Charles' lower lip. 

"Be careful what you insist upon, Charles." Erik breathes.

With that he's gone, walking swiftly along the deck, leaving a somewhat stunned Charles to himself.


End file.
